Veneer-lathe.



W. E. STAFFORD.

VENEER LATHE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. I917- Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEETi W. E. STAFFORD.

VENEER LATHE.

- APPLICATION FILED APR.19, I917. 1,293,230, v Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI' 2.

the surf r snares mar orrrcn.

WILLIAM E. STAFFORD, 0F OSWEGD,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND MATGH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VENEER-LATHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. a, 19in.

Application filed April 19, 1917. Serial No; 168,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known thatI, WILLIAM E. a citizen of the United States, of the city and county STAFFORD, v and resident of Osw'ego and State of New York, *have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Veneer-Lathes, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of veneer lathes wherein scoring tools are arranged in'cooperative relation to a peeling knife-so as to form score "lines in'and lon gitudinally of the surface ofthev'ene'er as rapidly log; the sheet material thus'produced being exclusively designed for use in the manufacture of match-box shucks-or covers.

Theobject ofmy invention is to provide a lathe whereby veneer of uniform thickness havm'g therein score "lines of uniform character are produced.

To this end the invention, generally stated, oompri'ses nieans whereby the scoring tools are mounted and arrangedto act upon ace of a rotating log'concurrently with the peeling knife and-at a eenstantengular relation to the varying peripheral curvature=of the 'logjsuch means, in the pre ferred form of embodiment of my invention herein illustrated, comprising a structure mounted on the traveling peeling head or carriage in such a manner as to have capacity for independent oscillatory move ment thereon; scoring tools "positioned on said structure to act upon the surface of the log directly inadvance of the peeling knife, and correlated cam devices whereby the said structure is graduall with the veneer cutting operation so as to maintain the defined scoring "tools and the the rotating log.

The inventional'so comprises features of construction and combinations of parts which will "be hereinafter described and claimed.

Tnthe drawings Figure l is a-plan of a veneer lathe embodying'the principle of my'in'vention. V

Fig. 2 "is a sideelevation ofthe improved lathe.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the tool holder and adjuncts-as on the line 3- 3 of Fi 1.

- ig.-4= 'isa perspective View of one of the as the veneer is p'eeled from the y tilted progressively relation between the adjacent surface of scoring tools, showing its relation to the surface of the log.

Referring t-o the drawings, 10 designates the supporting frame of atypical veneer lathe, and 11 the main shaft journaled in suitably-disposed boxes on the frame. 12 designates mandrels having their bearings in boxes on lateral uprights on the frame, and 13 centerplates borne'by the mandrels. The mandrels have spur wheels 14 in mesh with pinions 15 on the main shaft, whereby the centerplates are concurrently rotated at ar'elatively low speed. One of the mandrels is adjustable toward and from the other in order to facilita'te'the application of a cylindrioal log to or its removal from the centers as desired. N p

16 designates a carriage which'is mounted on horizontal guides on the sides of the bed, and 17 a peeling knife which is carried by the carriage and isadvancedthereby against the rotating log at a uniform speed relatively to that of the log so as to utpro gresi'vely from the latter a spiral sheet of ven eer of uniform thickness throughout its length and breadth.

The =tirnely advancement of the carriage and peeling knife in 'relationfto the "rotary travel of the surface of the log is-eifected through suitable connections with the main shaft. Accordingly the shaft 11 bears a worm 18 which meshes with a worm wheel 19 on a shaft 20 extending longitudinally of the supporting frame. The rearward end of the shaft 20 is provided with a gear wheel'Ql which is connected through transmission gears '22 with a gear wheel 23 on the outer or rearward end of one of a pair of spaced leadscrews 24 which extend beneath the slide-rest and engage internally-threaded projections 25 on the latter. The two lead screws are geared together for concerted rotation by, bevel wheels 26 thereon co-acting with similar wheels 27 on a transverse shaft 28 at the rear of-thebed.

29 designates a platform overlying the carriage andextending rearwardly from a point adjacent the peeling knife, so as to receive the veneer as rapidly as it is cut and deflect it toward the rear of the machine.

The mechanisms above referred to being of known construction and operation need no particular description herein; it being noted that the typical lathe shown has been selected for illustrative purposes only.

30 designates a row of spaced scoring tools each of which comprises a shank having a V-shaped chisel or cutting point 31. These tools are mounted and arranged to act upon the surface of the .log directly in advance of and concurrently with the peeling knife. In pursuance of my invention such tools are maintained at a constant angle in relation to the varying circumference of the log so as to produce in the surface of the latter parallel scores of uniform character extending longitudinally of the veneer. The scoring tools are borne by an oscillatory structure which is supported on the carriage, said structure, in its preferred form, comprising a cross-bar 32 provided at its ends with rearwardly-extending arms 33 in which are supported the ends of a transverse shaft 34 at a suitable distance in rear of the bar. This bar is mounted on the carriage in such a manner as to have thereon a horizontal axis of oscillation; that is to say, the bar is provided near its respective ends with two vertically-adjustable screws 35 the lower ends of which project below the bar and rest in socket bearings 36 aflixed to the carriage. The sockets 37 in these bearings are elongated so as to permit of slight forward and rearward movement therein of the pivot screws during variable angular movements of the oscillatory structure. By manipulating the screws 35 the bar may be nicely adjusted vertically in order to insure corresponding adjustment of the scoring knives relatively to the acting edge of the peeling knife.

The respective ends of the shaft 3%. are journaled in segmental bearing blocks 38 which are slidingly mounted in upright cam guides 39 formed in bracketslO affixed to the carriage. The shaft 34 is also provided adjacent the respective cam guides with anti-friction rollers 41 which ride upon parallel cam rails 42 of appropriate forma tion that extend longitudinally of and are conveniently supported upon the lathe bed. As clearly shown, the track constituted by the cam rails gradually inclines upwardly and forwardly from a point a suitable distance in rear of the cylindrical log when the peeling knife and scoring tools are first engaged with the log; the cooperative relation of such cam rails, the cam hides and the pivot support for the bar 32 eing such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft 34: 1s 1n horizontal alinement with the axis of rotation of the log, or substantially so. Thus the oscillatory structure and the scoring tools are in substantially horizontal position with the acting ends of such tools bearmg a definite angular relation to the adjacent peripheral surface of the log in order to produce therein a series of grooves of pre determined form and depth. The degree of upward inclination of the camtrack andthe relative curvature of the cam guides are such that as the diameter of the log is pro gressively and uniformly reduced by the advancing peeling knife, the oscillatory strueture and its scoring tools are gradually tilted about the pivot support so as to maintain constant the angular relation of said tools and the surface of the rotating log, thus insuring score lines of uniform character in and throughout the length of the veneer without the otherwise necessity of varying the depth of cut of the peeling knife.

It-is to be noted that the contour of the cam guides 39 and their disposition in re-' spect to the scoring tools and to the axis of oscillation of the tool bar, are such that the forward tipping movement of the cutting points of the said tools is prevented, except when the angular adjustment of the tools is dictatedby' the stationary cam track l'2 in order to compensate for the increasing curvature of the log as its diameter is reduced by the advancing peeling knife.

In Fig. the full lines show the initial relative positions of the veneer peeling knife and the scoring tools and their respectivesupporting parts upon the con'nnencement of the peeling operation at the outside of'the cylindrical log, and the dotted lines indicate their relative position when the log has been reduced to the central core.

The novel organization above described is not only simple and durable in construction, but in operation it effects and maintains accuracy and uniformity of contact between the functional ends of the scoring tools and the varying circumference of the log as previously mentioned.

My invention is not limited to the details of construction herein disclosed as the same may be variously modified within the rinciple of my invention and the scope o the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, andmeans for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool having a V-shaped cutting portion, a support thereforonsaid carriage having capacity for movement independently of the carriage, and automatic mechanism for gradually. varying the angularity of said support in respect to its path of travel toward the log.

2. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, and'means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool having a V-shaped cutting portion, a support therefor on said carriage having capacity for movement independently of the carriage, automatic mechanism for gradually varying the angularity of said support in respect to its path of travel toward the log, and controlling means co-acting with the traveling support to prevent displacement of the scoring tool from its prescribed angular cutting positions.

3. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool having a V-shaped cutting portion, an oscillatory support therefor on said carriage, and mechanism for gradually tilting said support progressively with the advancement of the carriage toward the axis of rotation of the log, whereby a constant angular relation is maintained between the scoring tool and the adjacent surface of the rotating log.

4:. In a veener lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool having a V-shaped cutting portion, an oscillatory support therefor on said carriage, a stationary cam track extending longitudinallyof the path of the carriage, and operative connection between the support and the cam track, whereby said support and its scoring tool are. gradually tilted progressively with the advancement of the carriage towardv the axis of rotation of the log.

5. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool having a V-shaped cutting portion, an oscillatory support therefor on said carriage, a stationary cam track extending longitudinally of the path of the carriage, operative connection between the support and the track, a cam guide on the carriage, and operative connection between the support and said cam guide.

6. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool, an oscillatory support therefor comprising a tool-bearing member and means for ver- .1ng knife, its carriage, and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool, an oscillatory support therefor on said carriage, having a rearwardly extended portion and lateral track rollers on said portion, a

stationary cam track for said rollers comprising correspondlng rails spaced apart having upwardly and forwardly inclined portions, whereby the said support is gradually tilted during the advancement of the carriage toward the axis of the log, and means on the carriage co-acting with the said support and the cam track to prevent independent forward tilting of the advancing tool support.

8. In a veneer lathe, the combination with means for rotating a cylindrical log, a peeling knife, its carriage, and means for actuating said carriage, of a surface scoring tool, an oscillatory support therefor on said car riage, having a rearwardly extending portion and lateral slide members and lateral track rollers on said portion, a stationary cam track for said rollers comprising corresponding rails spaced apart having upwardly and forwardly inclined portions, whereby the said support is gradually tilted during the advancement of the carriage toward the axis of the log, and up-standing spaced cam guides for the slide members, said guides being mounted on the carriage and being arranged to co-act with the said support and the cam track to prevent forward tilting of the advancing tool support independently of the motion determined by the cam trac Signed at the city and county of Oswego, and State of New York, this 16th day of April, A. D. 1917.

W. E. STAFFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

